Fig. 3

Libinia spinosa, females. a General view of the spermatheca. Dorsal chamber (dc) and ventral chamber (vc) separated by the relaxed velum (arrows), surrounded by connective (ct) and muscle (mt) tissue layers. Spermatic mass 1 (sm1) and spermatic mass 2 (sm2) composed by spermatozoids and seminal fluid. Ovary (ov) united to the spermatheca by connective tissue (ct). Musculature (mu) that attaches the spermatheca to the vagina. b Detailed structure of the dorsal chamber, showing the multistratified epithelium (ep), lined with holocrine gland cells (hgc), and the presence of spermathecal secretions (ss) and spermatozoids (sp) inside it. c Detailed structure of the ventral chamber (vc) showing the internal cuticle layer (arrow), connected with the ovary (ov) through connective tissue (ct). d Detailed structure of the velum (ve) showing the oval cells with elongated nucleus